Demo heralds the coming of Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Upcoming Indigenous-led point-and-click adventure a "visual love letter" to the Ojibwe language and culture

Of the many tragedies experienced by Indigenous peoples since the start of European colonialism in the Americas, one of the less talked-about is the dramatically diminished use of native languages such as Ojibwemowin, also known as Anishinaabemowin. In Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining, the non-profit organization Grassroots Indigenous Multimedia hopes to "revitalize the Ojibwe language" and give players a fun point-and-click adventure experience while they're at it. 

The game stars Miskwanangookwe (Miskwaa for short), a "spirited Ojibwe teen" from the city who is feeling unsure of her own identity. After falling asleep while picking berries, Miskwaa awakens to find herself lost in the woods. But it turns out she's far from alone, as this forest is filled with "helpful animals and spirits" and others whose stories are "inspired by Anishinaabe tales and traditions." The spirits are able to communicate in the Ojibwe language, so to find her way home to her grandmother, Miskwaa will need "brush up on her Ojibwemowin" to converse fluently with these "citizens of the forest." She'll need to solve many inventory puzzles along the way, and in learning the ways and words of her ancestors, she'll also have cause to "examine what it means to be traditional in a modern world." 

At first glance, Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining looks very much like a conventional point-and-click adventure. And in many ways it is, with colourful, charming 3D backgrounds filled with a variety of 2D cartoon characters whether human, plant or animal, from wise cats to frisky wild turkeys to talking bushes to a poor wolf with a thorn in its paw. To progress you'll need to collect and combine items using an intuitive, single-click smart cursor interface, keeping track of your objectives in Miskwaa's handy notebook. Beware, though, that in keeping with cultural tradition, the forest's gifts are not yours to freely take without permission or appropriate thanks. 

It's in conversation where this game really sets itself apart. Designed in collaboration with "Ojibwe community members and language activists," it is voiced entirely by "elders and language academy teachers and graduates," with subtitles offered in both English and Ojibwemowin. During dialogue, the portraits of "dream world characters" are illustrated in an authentic woodland art style inspired by modern Indigenous paintings, and the gameplay integrates "the learning of Ojibwe words and phrases into core puzzle-solving mechanics" as the young protagonist learns more about her rich heritage right along with the player. The developer's stated goal is to provide not just another adventure game, but rather a "unique cultural odyssey" that serves as an interactive "visual love letter to the Ojibwe (Ojibwemowin) language and culture."

No firm release date has yet been announced, but Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining is on track to launch sometime later this quarter for Windows and Mac. While you wait, you can start practicing your Ojibwemowin right away via the downloadable demo available now on Steam, itch.io and the developer's website.